Fruit-cleaner.



0. K. PORTER? FRUIT CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0. PORTER.- FRUIT CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

1,058,461 X I Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Svwemtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORSON K. PORTER, OF THE DALLES, CREGON, ASSIGNOR TO OREGON FRUIT CLEANERCOMPANY, OF THE DALLES, 0REGON, A CORPORATION OF OREGON.

FRUIT-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed March 16, 1912. Serial no. 684,123. i

To all whom/2'15 may concern Be it known that I, ORSON K. PORTER, a

citizen of the United States of America,-

fruit of a delicate nature such as apples which are readily subject toinjury by bruising. In carrying out this purpose I provide a spiralrunway which, though of comparatively little height, permits the fruitto pass through along distance. With this spiral is associated brushingmeans driven in the opposite sense to'the'direction of the spiral so asto retard the progress [of the fruit down the runway. The apparatus thusconstitutes a differential feeding and cleaning mechanism.

- I have illustrated the s iral runwa as stationary and as inclose by abrus ing cylinder co-axial therewith-and substantially in contact withthe outer-edge of the spiral. runway. The spiral is constructed to causethe fruit to roll into contact with the brushing means with which theinterior of the cylinder is provided. When thecylinder is driven at theproper speed and inan 0 posite sense to the direction of the spira theforce of gravity is partially overcome so that .the fruit asses slowlydown along therunway, turning over and over, and is given a thoroughcleaning by the brushing means before it passes out of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a vertical section through themachine. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective viewillustrating the manner in which the brushing sections and the top andbase sect-ions are secured. together. Fig. 4 is a'viewillustratin thebrushing cylinder in cross section an the base and topv separatedtherefrom, the former being shown in plan looking down thereon and thelatter being shown in plan looking upward at the under side thereof,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the entire cleaner, 9. portion of theouter cylindrical casing being broken away to show the construction ofthe brushing cylinder and the spiral runway.

In the figures as thus described the stationary base 1 is supported byany suitable means as the legs 2 and has permanently se-. cured to itthe spiral'runway 3 which may be clothed with soft material as lambswool and whose upper end is secured to the under side of the top 4 whichcorresponds substantially to the base 1. To the base 1 and the top 4 issecured an outer casing 5 within which is rotatably mounted the brushingcylinder. This cylinder is provided at its top and bottom withcorresponding socket lates 6 and 7 mounted to rotate on bearmg balls 8located in raceways 9 in the base and top respectively.- These socketplates are provided with a plurality of spaced radial sockets 10 whichare sultably corrugated or roughened at 11 to assist in holdingadjustably in position the vertical brushing members 12 which arepreferably brushes formed of one or more rows of tufts of bristlesmounted in wooden backs which are sufficiently strong without beingheavy and whose ends are roughened to correspond with the bottoms of thesockets- Thetufts spread so that they form a substantially continuousbrushing covering for the interior of the cylinder althou h .itis notessential that this surface s ould be absolutely continuous, it beingonly necessary to prevent any danger of the fruit passing over the'edgeof the spiral. The top and bottom socket plates 6 and 7 and the brushingmembers 12 are held together securely "by tie rods 13 provided withturnbuckles 14., The construction is obviously such that the brushingmembers may be adjusted toward the spiral as the brushing surfacebecomes worn,.the radial sockets causing the brushing members toapproacheach other as they are moved inward and thus enabling the brushes to beused until they are worn down almost to the backs. The brushes should'beof comparatively soft quality and extend inward from thesupporting backsa suitable distance, say three inches. Obviously, however, the length ofthe tufts is not material. The brushing cylinder is kept .in properrelation to the spiral by adjustadjustable radially in slots in the baseand top by means of milled thumb nuts 17. These guide rollers co-actwith the inner flanges of the socket plates 6 and 7. Obviously othercentering means might be provided but by employing three or more ofthese rollers any tendency to eccentric movetact with the brushingmeans.

concave, thus 'PIOV).

'paratus.

The spiral runway slants downwardly and outwardly toward the brushingmeans on the interior of the cylinder so that the fruit is at all timescaused to roll into con- In order to prevent undesirable wedging actionbetween the runway and the brushing means, I prefer to make the up erside of the spiral ding a small space or pocket in which the fruit canrest while being acted upon by the brush, thus avoid,-

ing the wedging action referred to without the possibility of themovement of the fruit out of reach of the brushing means. This featureof the spiral runway is very clearly illustrated in F1gs.-1 and 5.

To permit the ready removal of dust and other matter brushed from thefruit anaxial space is left in the spiral and the base is rovlded withan opening 22 below which iscoated in its casing 23 a suction fan 24which draws such material down through the cleaner and separates it fromthe fruit. This fan as well as the brushing cylinder is driven fromanysuitable source of power,

' driving belts 2526' being illustrated.

The method of operation of the cleaner' will be apparent from what hasalready been sai The fruit, as it passes down through the machine alonthe s iral runway, not only rolls over an over ut is constantly made toroll against the brushing surface by reason of the configuration oi thespiral above described. At the same time the brush which rotates in theopposite sense to the direction of the spiral retards the movement ofthe fruit down the runway and gives it a prolonged and thorough brushinbefore it reaches the outlet. The speed wit which the fruit passesthrough the machine may be altered in accordance with conditions byvarying the .speed of the'brushing means. Comparatively clean fruit maybe permitted to pass through the machine more rapidly than fruit whichneeds more prolonged brushing by rotating-the brushing cylinder at alower speed. It is also to be noted that the cylindrical brushingsurface coacting with the spiral runway tends to turn the .fruit on adifferent axis from that on which gravity causes it to turn, the resultbeing that every part of the fruit is thoroughly brushed. The fact thatthe spiral is not a mere groove, and especially not an inclosed passagebut a runway permitting free rolling movement, is important. Althoughad- .justable, the brushing members are stationary with respect to theirr .atable support, springs to force them toward the fruit not beingneeded or desirable. The slant of the upper side of the runway from edgeto edge across the spiral is continuous and gentle.

The fruit is thus free to roll toward the brushing surface as well asdown the runway being inclined downwardly and outwardly, and means forrotating the cylinder in the opposite sense to the direction of thespiral.

' 2*. A fruit cleaner comprising a spiral runway having a vertical axisand having its upper side concave and slanting downwardly and outwardly,a rotatable cylinder inclosing said spiral runway, brushing meanslocated on the interior of said :cylinder adjacent the outer edge ofsaid spiral runway for -co-'acti0n with the fruit as it passes down thespiral runway, and means for rotating said cylinder in the oppositesense to the direction of the spiral.

3. A fruit cleaner comprising an open spiral runway having a verticalaxis and having its upper side slanting gently and continuously from itsinner to its outer edge, a rotatable cylindercoaxial with and .inclosingsaid spiral runway, brushing means located on the interior of saidcylinder and forming a substantially. continuous brushin surfaceadjacent the outer edgemf sai spiral runway for coaction with the fruitas it passes down the runway, and means for rotating said cylinder inthe opposite sense to the direction of the spiral.

4. A fruit cleaner comprising a base, a stationary spiral runwa having avertical axis and mounted on sai base, a top secured to the upper end ofsaid runwa a hollow cylinder coaxial with and inc osing said spiralrunway and rotatably mounted on said base, said cylinder being providedwith direction of the spiral.

5. A fruit cleaner com rising a base, a stationary splral runway aving a--vert1cal axls and mounted on sa1d base, a top secured to the upper endof said runwa a hollow cylinder coaxial wit-h and inc osing said spiralrunwa and rotatably mounted on said base, sai cylinder being rovidedwith a brushing surface adjacent of the runway and said runway slopindownwardly and' outwardly toward sai brushing surface, means forrotating said cylinder in theopposite sense to the direction'of thespiral, the base top and spiral being provided with a hole or passagetherethrough, a suction fan in communication with said holes andpassage, and means for driving the same.

6. A fruit .cleaner com rising an upright spiral runway down whic fruitmay freely roll by gravity and whose upper surface is inclineddownwardly and transversely, a rotatable brushing means located adjacentan edge of said spiral runway for coaction with the fruit as it passesdown along the same, and means for rotating the said brushing means inthe opposite sense to the direction of the spiral thereby tending -tofeed the fruit upward along the runway and roviding a differentialcleaning and fee ing mechanism.

7. A fruit cleaner comprising in combination a brushing device providedwith rigidly mounted brushing means, a stationary runway receiving thefruit at its upper end and down which the fruit may freely roll bygravity, said runway slanting downwardly and also slanting toward thesaid brushing means and having its edge substantially in contacttherewith, and means for driving said brushing device in the oppositedirection to that of the runway to tend to feed the fruit upward alongthe runway in opposition to but less powerfully than gravity thusconstituting a differential cleaning and feeding mechanism.

8. A fruit cleaner comprising 'abase, a.

stationary spiral runway having a vertical axis and mounted on saidbase, a top secured to the upper end of said runwa a hollow cylindercoaxial with and inc osing said spiral runway and having antifrictionbearings in said base and top, adjustable antifriction devices forcentermg said cylinder, said cylinder being provided with a substaneouter edgetially continuous,'rigidly sup orted brushing surface locatedadjacent t e outer edge of the runway and said runway slopin downwardlyand outwardly toward sai brushin surface, and means for rotating saidcyinder in the opposite sense to the direction of the s iral.

9. In a fruit 0 eaner, a spiral runway a pair of oppositely disposedannular socket plates provlded with sockets, located in substantiallyhorizontal planes and facing eachv other in pairs, vertical brushingmembers having backs whose ends are located in correspondin sockets insaid oppositely disposed socfiet platesand adjustable therein toward andfrom the runway, and means for securing said parts together.

10. In a fruit cleaner, a pair of oppositel disposed annular socketplates provided wit radial sockets having corrugated or roughenedportions, brushing members having the ends of. their backs roughened orcorrugated and located in corresponding sockets in the annular socketplates and having brushing means extending inwardly from said backs, andmeans for securing'said parts firmly together. 1 e

11. In a fruit cleaner, a pair of oppositely disposed annular socketplates provided with radial sockets, vertical brushing members havingbacks whose ends are located inv correspondin .sockets in saidoppositely disposed soc et plates, said-sockets being of materiallygreater length than the thickness of said backs to permit radialadjustment of said vertical brushing members, and means for releasablysecuring said parts together.

12. A fruit cleaner comprising in combination a base, a stationaryspiral runway mounted thereon, a top corresponding 1n general with saidbase and secured thereto, guide rollers mounted adjustably in said topand base for radial movement, a brushing cylinder rotatably mounted onsaid base centered by said rol ers and having also a bearing on theunder side of the top, said brushing cylinder being provided with asubstantially continuous rigidly supported brushing surface adjacent theouter edge of the spiral runway, and means for rotating said brushingcylinder.-

In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

ORSON K. PORTER. Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, MARGARET E. DILLER.

